If you are out there looking for new frames, the first question that comes to mind is whether to go with full frames or half-rim ones. Both are known for having a prominent personality when compared to rimless frames and the way they complement your facial structure if chosen according to your facial structure. Half Rims gave off a more premium feel at some point, but recently full frames have caught up and look equally elegant. So, what really is the difference between a pair of Full Frame prescription glasses and half rim prescription glasses?

What are Half-Rim Frames?

As the name suggests, these frames do not have a complete rim encircling the lens. Most of the time, the solid part of the frame only covers the top half of the lens, and the bottom is either left uncovered or a thin nylon string holds the lens secure. This is not always the case; there are a few frames that might cover the bottom part of the lens, and the top part is the one uncovered, albeit common.

Half-rim glasses were initially designed to reduce the overall weight of your eyewear as there were limited options for the type of materials you could use for the frames. It was mostly steel that was used for making these frames, and with the added weight of glass, even really thin frames could end up really heavy.

Now with better material options such as plastics and aluminum, weight is not that big of an issue. So we see all these huge frames with those thick legs. They are also a lot sturdier as modern lenses are mostly made out of plastic instead of glass. But half rims still have their own benefits. Below we have mentioned some of the reasons why half-frames might be the ones you need.

Benefits of Half Rim Glasses

Choosing Half Rim Glasses could totally be your own preference or taste. But that does not mean that there are no benefits or real-life uses of choosing this style of frame. Here we have mentioned a few that we think are the benefits of getting half-rim frames.

Weight

Although not as concerning in today’s day and age, you still might be facing the problem of weight with your spectacles. And there are a number of reasons why. Some people still like to get metal frames or more oversized frames, or maybe they just want glass lenses as they are less prone to scratching and might last longer in that department. That can increase the overall weight of the frames.

There are many people that require some sort of vision correction and still do not wear their glasses, and the fact that their glasses are heavy plays a key role in that. Do you also not wear your glasses? Do they feel uncomfortable after a while? Their weight might be the culprit. Especially the people who travel a lot find these lightweight frames really convenient. They can wear these lightweight ones for long durations without getting tired, eliminating the whole problem of storing and protecting them.
No matter what style you go with, a half-rim will always be lighter than its full-frame counterpart. And that is one of the main reasons why people prefer to get these half-rim ones.

Style

This one boils down to your personal preference, and different people may feel differently about a certain frame. 

With that being said, it should be noted that out of all the other counterparts. Half-rim frames are the only ones that fit most use cases. Either you are going for a formal office look or a rather casual one. You will always find frames that will suit the occasion.

Rimless frames are great for a formal look but fail to look good in a casual setting. The same goes for full frames as there are very limited options in the formal department. But half-rim glasses have a huge variety in all styles, making it easy for you to choose what suits your needs.

Not to mention, if you consider the light weightiness of these frames, you might be able to find your favorite full-frame style that is too heavy for you in this category.

Fashionable

The style might be a personal preference, but that cannot be said about fashion. And in this department, half-rim glasses are all the buzz. Every prominent manufacture has some sort of half-rim ones available in their lineups, may it be big, chunky glasses or really sleek ones.

Right now, no matter what your style is, half-rim glasses are really fashionable.

Is there any downside to getting a half rim frame?

Like everything else, there certainly are some disadvantages to getting half-frame ones.
One of the main ones is that the lightweight nature of these frames come at the cost of durability. You cannot go running or climbing or play a game of baseball while wearing these glasses (well, technically, you should not wear any type of glasses without proper precautions when there is the danger of getting smacked in the face with a ball, but still, this does get the point across). 

Another main drawback of using these glasses is the fact that they cannot hold beefy lenses, as they do not cover the bottom side of the lens adequately. They are not very good at holding big, heavy lenses, and they might pop out and get damaged.

Conclusion

What glasses you get boils down to your preference. You can always get multiple pairs of glasses if need be. Like if you are a somewhat active individual, you can get a lightweight full-frame for daily use and a half rim for traveling or events.

Make sure you get durable enough glasses for your needs and that they can handle the lenses that you are going to fit them with. Always check the frames for defects before buying them, so you know you are getting exactly what you are paying for.